Love Lockdown
by teeney8040
Summary: Skye wakes up.


A.N. Another Skimmons one-shot.

**XX**

The sudden shift from blissful nothingness to blinding pain is so sudden that Skye can barely breathe. She gasps, trying desperately to fill her lungs with air, but finds that to be an equally painful endeavor, and she's suddenly completely terrified about what's happening to her. Her vision is blurry and she can't move one of her arms and there's a sudden cacophony of sound exploding around her.

"Skye, can you hear me?"

It's Jemma. Her voice is muffled and sounds like it's miles away, but she would know that voice anywhere.

Skye's face crumples with relief and she can feel tears burning behind her eyes, but she's still completely freaked out that she can't see much or feel much other than the exploding pain in her abdomen.

And that's when it all comes back to her.

Ian Quinn shooting her. Twice. The white-hot, searing pain that exploded in her belly before spreading through the rest of her, and the way he breathed his slimy threats in her ear before letting her fall to the floor and leaving her to bleed to death.

"Skye, are you in pain?"

It's Jemma's voice again. Closer this time, clearer, and now Skye can make out the excited voices of the rest of the team. Another weight settles over her left wrist and

she thinks that it must be someone else holding her hand.

"Skye?"

Jemma's soft voice so close seems to shake her from her daze and she blinks heavily, trying to sweep back some of the drug-induced haze that has her so out of it. Her mouth opens slowly as she tries to speak, but her tongue sticks to the roof of her mouth.

"Jeeem." It's not much, but it's all she seems to be able to do at the moment.

Skye blinks several times to try to clear her vision as she listens to the voices around her. Her hearing is clearing up and she can hear Jemma trying to shoo the rest of the team out of her room.

The weight settled on her left arm lifts, and the one on her right returns, and she can start to make out the fuzzy outline of a very familiar face hovering over hers.

"Skye? Sweetheart?" Her voice is softer now; it's the voice Jemma uses when the two of them are alone.

Skye opens her mouth, but somehow manages to think better of it and nods her head enough to let Jemma know she can hear her.

There's a soft sob and Skye feels two soft droplets of water land on her arm. Her heart clenches at the thought of Jemma crying over her. She blinks again and squints, desperate to get a look at the other girl.

"J-Jem. Don't cry."

Suddenly she's got a slender body practically sitting in her lap and arms are sliding around her in a tight hug. She winces and bites back a sob as the movement pulls at her stitches, but she can't hide a thing and Jemma pulls back immediately.

"I'm so sorry!" Jemma cries when she sees Skye's face screwed up in pain. She scrambles off the bed, swiping at her eyes.

Skye grits her teeth and fights a wave of nausea as pain pulses though her belly. The next thing she knows, everything is dark.

**XX**

When she wakes up again, it's much quieter. And much less painful.

She comes to slowly. She's vaguely aware of a hand holding hers, and soft fingers stroking the back of her hand. The biggest difference in waking this time is the distinct lack of pain. As she turns her head in Jemma's direction, her vision swims, but in a good way, and she realizes exactly why that is.

She's high as fucking hell.

A languid smile spreads over her lips as she takes in the sight of the girl seated next to her bed; seemingly unaware she's awake and staring at her. Jemma is dutifully holding her hand, and in her free hand she's holding her tablet, reading something that must be riveting.

"Good book?" Skye rasps. She's only mildly annoyed that her attempt to joke is sort of ruined by the way her voice cracks. But then she finds that she doesn't really care, because how much can you really care when you feel this awesome?

Jemma starts and nearly drops her tablet on the floor. The hand holding Skye's squeezes at the shock of being caught so off guard. She's on her feet in an instant, setting the tablet in her seat as she moves to stand at the edge of the bed.

"Come here," Skye says softly, squeezing the hand in hers.

Jemma nods, stepping closer. "Do you need anything?"

Skye considers this for a moment and finally nods. "Water?"

Jemma nods, moving to pour the water. "Small sips." She moves to perch carefully on the edge of the bed, watching Skye carefully.

Skye hands the cup back over and settles back against the pillows. "I'm so tired."

Jemma runs her hand over Skye's head, tugging on the end of her hair gently. "Why don't you go back to sleep for a bit?" Jemma suggests.

Skye shakes her head immediately. "I've been sleeping for way too long."

They stare at each other for several long moments. Finally Skye tugs at the hand trapped between both of hers, and she pulls Jemma closer.

Jemma hesitates, shaking her head, her eyes suddenly focused intently on their hands. "I don't want to hurt you again."

"Jem," Skye pleads softly. "Please?"

Jemma's face softens instantly and she scoots closer, releasing Skye's hands to cradle her face gently between her palms. Jemma leans forward slowly and presses a long, soft kiss to Skye's mouth.

Jemma pulls back just for a moment, looking utterly content; her eyes closed, bottom lip trapped between two perfect rows of teeth, like she's savoring this moment, and then she leans back in again.

They're both suddenly aware of the heart monitor as it begins to beep rapidly and Skye pulls away, blushing furiously, and Jemma finds it to be the single most adorable thing she's ever seen.

"How are you feeling?"

Even though her blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature are right there on the monitor's display, Jemma can't help but press a soft palm to Skye's forehead, then to her cheeks. She can't help it; Skye was so cold for so long. She just has to be sure she's really here.

Skye reaches up and takes each of Jemma's hands in hers, lifting them to her mouth and pressing a kiss to each palm.

"I'm okay. Ya know, all things considered."

Jemma smiles down at her fondly, her head tilting to the side the way it always seems to when Skye does something she finds to be utterly adorable. "I insisted you were well enough for a morphine drip. I'm sure you're not feeling much of anything at the moment."

Skye's eyes lock on hers. "Not much pain. But I swear it feels like my heart might literally burst out of my chest."

"Sweet talker." Jemma smiles softly and leans in for a gentle kiss. She pulls back, still watching Skye with a touch of awe; like she can't really believe she's actually sitting here alive. "But I think I know the feeling." She keeps hold of both Skye's hands, but sits back a bit. "The rest of the team is dying to see you." She winces when she realizes how bad that sounds. "I'm so sorry."

"I love you," Skye suddenly blurts out, taking them both by surprise.

Jemma looks a bit shell-shocked, so Skye keeps talking.

"I loved you before. But I was always afraid to say it. I've never really had too many people around long enough to love them. But I kind of want to keep you. And I just needed you to know how I feel."

Jemma feels her heart clench painfully, like it often does when Skye reveals some little part of her past that breaks her heart.

Skye suddenly clamps her mouth shut, closing her eyes and shaking her head, clearly more than a little embarrassed. "Sorry. I'm on drugs." She hates moments like this, because she always feels more than a little broken inside when she talks about things like this.

Jemma smiles this adorable little half smile and she waits for dark, embarrassed eyes to meet hers again before she leans in slowly. She takes her time with this kiss, knowing Skye needs to know exactly how much it means. It's slow, and deliberate, and sweet.

When she pulls back, Skye's eyes are searching hers, clearly looking for something.

"I love you too," Jemma whispers, their faces close, and she can practically taste the relief in the air.

Deep down Skye knows that Jemma's feelings are real. She can feel the broken parts of her heart resist the urge to fall flat-out into the feelings overwhelming her, but she can also feel parts of her heart being put back together every time Jemma smiles at her, and every time she touches her and kisses her. Jemma's love is healing her.

And when the rest of the team bursts into the room, Skye can feel their love is real too.

And, maybe, she decides, she isn't so broken after all.


End file.
